Liquid cooling apparatus



APPLICATION FILED MAY 25. I917- Patented Oct. 28, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

N. E. GEE. LIQUID COOLING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 25, I9"- Patented Oct. 28, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

awvc mIZoz wi/bnm NORMAN E. GEE, or ALTOONA, PENNSYLVANIA.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit knownthat I, NORMAN E. GEE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Altoona, inthe county of Blair and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Liquid-Cooling Apparatus, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to liquid coolers for railway locomotives, and particularly to electric locomotives which are designed and built for single phase distribution and threephase' current utilization, wherein there is used a sodium carbonate solution known as electrolyte, in connection with the elements that are used to control the currents in the motor primaries; and also the motor sec ondaries.

Theprimary object of this invention is to provide an adequate electrolyte cooling apparatus through which the electrolyte is causedto circulate by means of centrifugal pumps While a current of air is caused to pass over the electrolyte, as itpasses through the cooling apparatus, thus cooling the fluid and at the same timeconducting the heat thus generated to'the atmosphere above the cooling apparatus, 7

Another obj ectof thisinvention is toprovide means wherebythe cooling medium can readily'be circulated through the electrolyte, while the cooling me'diumand the electrolyte move in opposite directions. A

A further object of thisinvention is to provide inclined cooling trays eachof which is constructed with apluralityof fluid dividing means, which. make itpossible for the cooling medium to pass upward through the cooling system over-each individual tray, thus effectively cooling theelectrolyte. With these. and many other objects in view which will be more readily apparent asthenature of'the invention is better understood, the same consists of the novel. construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully pointed out, illustratedand claimed. a

It will be quite readily understood by thoseslrilled in the art to which this invention belongs that the same is susceptible to some structural changes and modifications without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, but preferred and practical: embodiment of the present invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in v shw' 1 Specification of Letters Patent.

LIQUIDaCOOLINGr APPARATUS.

Patented Oct. 28, 1919.

Application filed May 25, 1917. SerialN'o. 170,935.

Figure 1 shows a portion of a longitudinal section of an electric locomotive with the presentinvention installed therein. 1

Fig.2 shows a plan view of the cooling tower shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 shows a side elevation of one of the cooling towers.

Fig. 4 shows aportion of an end elevation of the cooling tower.

iSimilar reference characters designate correspondingparts throughout the several figures ofthe drawings.

In carrying out the present invention, it is proposed to provide an electrolyte tank designated in its entirety by the reference character 10, whichis adapted tocontain the sodium carbonate solution, and has in communication therewith suitable circulating pumps 11 through a conventional valve arrangement, not shown. These pumps 11 have associated therewith the delivery pipe sections 12 and 12 respectively leading to the compartments known as the electrolyte chambers, and designated by the references 13 and 13%. These chambers are separate from the electrolyte tank 10, but are in valved communication therewith by means of the valves. a-Z c0Z, as shown in the drawings, and the arrangement of these valves is such that when the valves are down, electrolyte can pass from the COHI- partment 13-l l backinto the tank 10, but when the valvesare elevated, the pumps will fill the chamberswith electrolyte until a certainlevel is reached and then the valves a-'b, and ccl will open to let the electrolyte therein again fiow back to the tank.

Between the electrolyte chambers '13 and 15L, are arranged suitable cooling towers for the electrolyte. A cooling tower is provided for each chamber, and as will be observed from. Fig; 1 of the drawings, each tower has a pipe connection therein whose inlet end is so arranged as to receive some of the electrolyte forced bythe pumps into the electrolyte chamber with the particular tower it is associated with. That is to say, the cooling tower'15, for instance, which cools the electrolyte for the chamber 13, has an upstanding tower pipe 16 therein whose lower end is so arranged with reference to the discharge end. of the pipe section 12 which forces ele'ctroylte from the tank' 10 to the chamber 13, that some of the electrolyte forced into the said chamber will also be forced upwardly through the pipe 16to the top of the cooling tower. As the electrolyte makes its way toward the bottom of the cooling tower to return to the path of electrolyte circulation caused by the pumps 11, it is cooled by the novel arrangement of cooling pans and an air blast as will presently appear. The cooling tower for the chamber 14 is also provided with an upstanding pipe 17 which performs functions similar to the pipe 16.

Referring now to the cooling tower wherein the temperature of the electrolyte is lowered, it will be observed that the same essentially comprises a casing having therein a plurality of superposed inclined cooling pans 18, which provide a tortuous passage for the liquid and the cooling air blast. The upstanding tower feed pipe 16, which receives electrolyte from the pump 11 through the pipe section 12, communicates with a delivery trough 19 disposed transversely of the tower and arranged at the rear edge of the uppermost inclined cooling pan 18. Thus, when electrolyte is forced up through the pipe 16, it will collect in the delivery trough 19, and from this pass onto the top inclined cooling pan 18. After leaving this pan, it

i will pass to similar successive pans until it reaches the bottom of the cooling tower where it will again pass into the electrolyte circuit.

For the purpose of cooling electrolyte as i it passes over the series of cooling pans in the tower, it is proposed to introduce an air blast at the bottom of the tower beneath the lowermost pan. This blast of cooling air is generated by a suitable fan motor M and is conveyed to the bottom of the cooling tower through the conduit or air duct 20 where it enters said tower at the point 20.

To further assist in the cooling of the electrolyte as it passes through the cooling tower, it is proposed to provide suitable spreader elements at the edge of each cooling pan. That is to say, in order that the sheet of electrolyte may be divided at spaced intervals as it discharges 'from the cooling pans, there is provided on each cooling pan a plurality of current dividing elements 21 which are constructed in the shape of the letter V, having the apex uppermost on the inclined surface. These current dividing elements are preferably made of sheet metal which is constructed L shaped, the horizon tal leg being cut and the two ends 22 brought toward each other forming the V shaped structure. The horizontal leg is used to secure the element to the pan while the upstanding vertical leg serves to divide the current of electrolyte, which means that between each pan there is left a series of openings in the cataract through which the air passeson its way to the roof ventilators 23, through which the hot air and steam escape to the outside atmosphere.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that electrolyte from the tank 10 is pumped by the pumps 11 into the chambers 13 and 14-. through the pipe connections 12 and 12 respectively and when electrolyte is thus pumped into the said chambers, a part thereof is forced up to the top of the tower pipe for each cooling tower. That is to say, part of the electrolyte coming through the pipe 12 for the chamber 13 is forced up the pipe 16 to the top of the cooling tower 15, while part of the electrolyte for the chamber 14 is forced up the pipe 17 of the other cooling tower. When the electrolyte reaches the top of the cooling towers, it is released and permitted to gravitate down a series of inclined cooling pans in opposition to a blast of cooling air supplied to the hottom of the cooling tower. Furthermore, in

order to assist the cooling action, the pans of the cooling tower are provided with suitable retarding means and current dividing elements as explained.

l/Vithout further description, it is thought that the many features and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent.

I claim: 1

1. A liquid cooling apparatus including a main liquid holding chamber, a liquid receiving chamber arranged above the tank, a cooling tower also arranged above the said main liquid chamber and having means therein for causing the liquid to divide into a plurality of separate streams, a pump for elevating liquid from the main chamber to the receiving chamber and to the liquid di viding means in the cooling tower, and means for supplying an air blast to the discharge end of the cooling tower whereby the air flows in opposition to the direction of liquid flow.

2. A liquid cooling apparatus including a main liquid holding tank, a superposed liquid receiving chamber in valved commu- 3. A liquid cooling apparatus including a liquid container, a circulating pump for said container, a coolingtower having a tortuous passageway, pipe means in said tower connected with said pump for conveying a part of the liquid being circulated through the container to the upper end of the tortuous passage of the cooling tower, and means for forcing air through said tower in opposition to the direction of flow 7 g of liquid therein.

4:. A liquid cooling apparatus including in combination, a liquid container, a circuedges of the cooling pans, and means for lating pump connected with saiol'container, forcing an air current through the cooling a cooling tower having a pipe connected tower in opposition to the direction of flow with said pump, and also having therein a of liquid therethrough.

5 plurality of inclined cooling pans arranged In testimony whereof I affi'x my signa- 15 one above the other, a liquid discharge ture in presence of a witness. trough in communication with the tower pipe which connects with the circulating NORMAN pump, a plurality of V-shaped current di- Witness: 10 viding elements secured to the discharge ALEX WEIR.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

